1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a touch sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, with the development of computers using a digital technology, devices assisting computers have also been developed, and personal computers, portable transmitters and other personal information processors execute text and graphic processing using a variety of input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse.
While the rapid advancement of an information-oriented society has been widening the use of computers more and more, it is difficult to efficiently operate products using only a keyboard and mouse currently serving as an input device. Therefore, the need for a device that is simple, has minimum malfunction, and is capable of easily inputting information has increased.
In addition, current techniques for input devices have progressed toward techniques related to high reliability, durability, innovation, designing and processing beyond the level of satisfying general functions. To attain these objects, a touch panel has been developed as an input device capable of inputting information such as text, graphics, or the like.
The touch panel is mounted on the display surface of an image display device such as an electronic organizer, a flat panel display including a liquid crystal display device (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), an electroluminescence (El) element or the like, or a cathode ray tube (CRT), so that a user selects the desired information while viewing the image display device.
The touch panel is classified into a resistive type touch panel, a capacitive type touch panel, an electromagnetic type touch panel, a surface acoustic wave (SAW) type touch panel, and an infrared type touch panel. These various types of touch panels are adapted for electronic products in consideration of signal amplification problems, resolution difference, level of difficulty of designing and processing technologies, optical characteristics, electrical characteristics, mechanical characteristics, environment-resistant characteristics, input characteristics, durability, and economic efficiency. Currently, a capacitive type touch panel and a resistive type touch panel have been used in a wide range of fields.
Moisture has an important effect on reliability in electronic materials of polymer devices, and affects characteristics of materials, such as, changing electric characteristics of devices due to the change in mechanical physical properties, or the like. However, as a touch screen module according to the prior art is exposed to a high-temperature and high-humidity environment, defects or faults in electric connection may occur.
In particular, temperature and moisture environments may deteriorate conductive properties of materials in conductive polymer devices such as a touch screen panel and the like. However, nevertheless the effects of this moisture on material characteristics is currently important, countermeasures therefor are insufficient.